Do Arena saddles have a V-shaped, U-shaped, A-shaped or Hoop-shaped trees?
What do these alphabet terms for saddle trees mean?
Alphabet descriptors of saddle trees are relatively new terms in the saddle industry. We continue to see an evolving shift into horses with broader conformations in both sport horse and leisure riding, so naturally saddle design is shifting too. Saddlers creating wider tree shapes specifically for these confirmations have helped riders to visualise their tree shapes with descriptors like Hoop or U, which have naturally led them to label conventional tree shapes as V or A. Our range has saddles specifically designed for fine, moderate and wider conformations. The Horse and Rider Technology (HART) within enables further fine-tuning for an optimal fit for your horse.
What tree is in an Arena saddle?
The trees in our saddles are called Elastiflex Trees, as they flex and move with every stride of your horse. Your horse's spine is protected from concussive forces, whilst lateral flexion enables your horse's back to swim and move uninhibited and naturally. They are lightweight, symmetrical and strong over time. They work together with the EASY-CHANGE Gullet System, in either the standard, or wide ranges to achieve the optimal shape for different conformations.
Does the shape of the gullet plate match the horse's wither shape?
It is a common misconception that the gullet plate in the saddle interacts with horses' backs, or should correspond to the shape of a horse's wither. This is not the role of the gullet plate in the saddle.
It's a natural assumption because the shape of the gullet plate resembles that of a horse's wither so closely – it appears made for a wither of the same shape, but in fact the gullet plate in your saddle has two important functions.
- It provides structural support to the internal channel of the saddle tree.
- It directs the pitch of the flexible tree points that extend beyond the end of the gullet to support the panel, which bears from the base of the wither, behind the shoulder and along the horse's back.
The gullet plate itself sits high up within the tree, only the last 5 mm, less than a ¼ inch, contacts with the very top edge of the panel. This sets the pitch of the flexible tree points, that slide into the top of the panel to mirror the pitch of your horse's conformation.
The strength of the gullet makes sure that the saddle tree maintains the chosen width over time and can never warp, or stretch. It also makes sure that the saddle tree can never drift closer to the horse's delicate spinous processes.
The gullet plate must therefore correspond perfectly to the shape of the channel of the saddle tree, not the horse's wither.
Is there an Arena saddle that suits horses needing a U shape?
For horses with a broader conformation, our wide or cob saddles feature a unique tree shape and the EASY-CHANGE Gullet System WIDE to keep the saddle free from the horse's wither and broader spine, whilst matching the broader shape of the base of the horse's wither and shoulder.
Are A-shaped, V-shaped, U-shaped or hoop-shaped trees better for most horses?
The majority of horse conformations are best suited to our standard saddles.
A small proportion of horses benefit from our specialist ranges.
- High wither range: less adjustment is required to achieve seat balance over a high wither.
- Wide or cob range: where broader conformations benefit from a closer fit for improved stability in motion with less prominent wither, broader spine and rounder shape at the base of the wither and shoulder.
Whether your horse has a broader conformation, or a finer one, a high wither, or a low wither there is a saddle in our range made with them in mind.
